Wyant
variable setting towel dispensing mechanism



21, 1967 G- w. WYANT 3,319,232

VARIABLE SETTING TOWEL DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed June 11, 1965 INVE NTOR (5. w. WyANT Awoamsys United States Patent 3,310,212 VARIABLE SETTING TOWEL DEPENSHN G MECHANISM Gerald Willis Wyant, 4343 Mayfair Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed June 11, 1965, Ser. No. 463,225 8 Claims. (Cl. 226-133) This invention relates to web dispensing mechanism and particularly to an improved mechanism whereby, by means of a variable setting device, the length of towel dispensed can be predetermined within a wide range.

There are many dispensing mechanisms available which have a fixed setting whereby only one fixed length of. towelling can be withdrawn from the cabinet within which it rolled length of web is stored. There are other mechanisms in which means are provided whereby the length of web dispensed can be varied. However, such mechanisms are complicated and require constant maintenance due to wearing of parts and consequent unintended varying of the length of web dispensed.

The present invention consists of a simple adjustable device which is an improvement on U.S. Patent No. 2,839,345, June 17, 1958, to J. B. Engel et al. In this patent there is provided mechanism which acts positively to limit the amount of web which is dispensed in any single operation. The mechanism involves a resetting button which must be pushed inwardly to reset the mechanism before a further length of web can be withdrawn from the cabinet. Added to the mechanism of the above mentioned patent and associated with the operating crank thereof is a helix and a spring hook slidable in a slot in the helix member and adjustably engaged between any selected pair of adjacent threads of the helix. This spring hook located between selected adjacent threads of the helix acts as a stop for an arm projected between the threads of the helix and driven in a direction parallel with the axis of the helix as the crank of the mechanism is rotated. When the arm makes contact with the spring stop the crank can no longer be rotated, thereby limiting the length of web which can be dispensed. The arm is disconnected frorn engagement with the helix by the reset push-button and is returned to its initial position of engagement with the helix by a spring. The arm is engaged with the push-button mechanism which, in turn, is spring loaded, thereby ensuring that the arm will engage with the helix on release of pressure on the push-button.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the length of web dispensed from a cabinet can be varied.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to vary the length of web dispensed from a cabinet. which means is not accessible to the person operating the dispenser.

A further object of the invention is to provide adjusting means which can be reset in one simple operation.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. is a plan view of the dispensing mechanism partly broken away to show the web-length gauging mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the web-length gauging mechanism shown in FIG. 1, partly in section to show the means for adjusting the length of the web dispensed.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the gauging arm in contact with the stop.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the gauging arm disengaged from the helix and stop.

3,3l,2i2 Patented Mar. 21, 1967 Referring to the drawings, the mechanism hereinafter described is an addition to the mechanism described in U.S. Patent No. 2,839,345. It is, therefore, not considered necessary to describe any of the mechanisms disclosed in the said patent except where the mechanism of the present invention is directly connected with the mechanism of the patent or common operating parts are used.

The present invention includes a helix 5 formed about a portion of the length of the sleeve 6 located between the end wall 81 and the bracket 7. The crank arm 70 is extended at 8 to engage within the sleeve 6 and is secured thereto by the pin 9 to efiect rotation of the sleeve 6 and helix 5 on rotation of the crank arm '70.

The sleeve 6 is slotted at 10 immediately under the helix 5 in such a manner that the thread 11 constituting the helix 5 continuously bridges the gap formed by the slot 10. The slot 10 extends from the end of the sleeve 6, adjacent the bracket 7, for the major portion of the length of the helix 5.

A wire spring member 12 in the form of an extended loop has one free end turned at right angles to form a stop 13. When the spring member 12 is inserted into the bore 14 of the sleeve 6, in the manner shown in FIG. 3, the stop 13 can be located in any one of the openings 15 formed by the thread 11 bridging the slot 10. The looped end 16 of the wire opening forms a hand grip.

A shaft 17 is mounted between the end wall 81 and the bracket 7 and is located below and to one side and parallel with the helix 5. Slidably mounted on the shaft 6 is a sleeve 18 having an arm 19 whose upper end is adapted to engage with the helix 5. The arm 19 is connected with the flanged edge 108 of the lever 103, by the link Ztl. The link 20 is in hooked engagement with the flanged edge 108 to permit the link to slide along the flange coincident with movement of the sleeve 18 and arm 19 when the helix 5 is rotated.

A coil spring 21 is located about the shaft 17 between the end wall 81 and the flange 22 of the sleeve 18.

The lever 103 is displaced in the horizontal plane about its pivot 104 by the push rod 1135 and push-button 65 against the tension of the spring 111.

Describing the operation of the invention. Having first adjustedthe spring member 12 to locate the stop 13 in the desired opening 15 formed by the thread 11 bridging the slot 10, to predetermine the length of towelling which may be dispensed, rotation of the crank arm 70 will cause the sleeve 6 and helix 5 to rotate. Rotation of the helix will force the arm 19 to travel axially along the helix until the arm comes into contact with the stop 13. No further rotation of the helix 5 and crank arm 70 is possible and a predetermined length of towelling is ejected from the cabinet to be torn off in the usual manner.

In order to reset the mechanism to permit a further length of towelling to be dispensed, the push-button 65 is pressed to move the push rod 105 in the direction of the arrow, carrying with it the lever 103. The lever 103 carries with it the link 20 which, in turn, disengages the arm 19 from the helix 5. The spring 21 forces the arm 19 and link 20 to their original position adjacent the bracket 7 and, on release of the push-button 65, the arm 19 will again engage with the helix 5 due to the bias of the spring 111.

Adjustment of the stop 13 relative to the length of the helix is readily accomplished. Sideways pressure on the extended loop handle 16 in one direction will force the stop 13 out of whatever opening 15 it was engaged in. The spring member 12 can then be moved axially in the bore 14 of the sleeve 6 to bring the stop 13 into alignment with another opening 15 in order to adjust the length of travel of the arm along the helix 5.

As the web being dispensed is fed between the driving roll 60 and the spring-pressed idler roll 61 and the drive 3 to the roll 60 is initiated by the crank handle 70 through the gear 78 and-pinion 67 and as the helix 5 is also driven by the crank handle 70, the location of the stop 13 and the displacement of the arm 19 on rotation of the helix 5 will be a definite gauge of the length of web permitted to be dispensed between the rolls 60 and 61.

What I claim is:

1. In a Web dispenser, a pair of rolls between which a web is fed, drive means for rotating the said rolls, a helix rotated by said drive means, stop means associated with said helix, the said stop means being adjustably located at a predetermined position axially of the helix and rotatable therewith, an arm engageable with the said helix, the said arm being movable along said helix towards said stop means on rotation of the helix by said drive means, the said stop means limiting the travel of the said arm and locking the said helix against further rotation when the said arm makes contact with said stop means, spring biased means holding the said arm in contact with the said helix, means to release the said arm from said helix, and a second spring means biased to return the said arm to its initial position of engagement with the said helix remote from said stop means when the said arm is released from engagement with the said helix and stop means.

2. A Web dispenser as set forth in claim 1 in which the said drive means includes a crank handle and the said helix is an extension of the said handle and rotatable therewith.

3. A web dispenser as set forth in claim 1 in which the said helix includes a cylindrical sleeve having a thread generated on its outer surface, and the said stop member is projected through the said sleeve to between selected adjacent turns of the said thread.

4. A web dispenser as set forth in claim 1 in which the said helix includes a cylindrical sleeve having a thread generated on its outer surface, the said sleeve being slotted lengthwise under the said thread, and the said stop member is projected through the slot to between selected adjacent turn of the said thread.

5. A web dispenser as set forth in claim 3 in which the said stop member has a handle portion projected axially beyond the said cylindrical sleeve and has its end remote from the handle portion turned at right angles to project through the said sleeve.

6. A web dispenser as set forth in claim 3 in which the said stop member is a Wire looped upon itself to form a spring, the loop forming a handle projecting axially beyond the said cylindrical sleeve, one of the free ends of the looped wire spring being turned at right angles-to project through the said sleeve.

7. A web dispenser as set forth in claim 1 in which the said second spring means includes a shaft disposed parallel with the axis of the said helix and the said arm includes a sleeve slidable on said shaft against the said second spring.

8. A Web dispenser as set forth in claim 7 in which the said spring biased means includes a push rod and a pivoted lever, and a link connects the said arm with the said pivoted lever, the said link, adapted to slide along the said pivoted lever on movement of said arm along the said helix.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,839,345 6/1958 Engel et al 225-16 FOREIGN PATENTS 916,826 1/1963 Great Britain.

M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

J. N. ERLICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WEB DISPENSER, A PAIR OF ROLLS BETWEEN WHICH A WEB IS FED, DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SAID ROLLS, A HELIX ROTATED BY SAID DRIVE MEANS, STOP MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HELIX, THE SAID STOP MEANS BEING ADJUSTABLY LOCATED AT A PREDETERMINED POSITION AXIALLY OF THE HELIX AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH, AN ARM ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SAID HELIX, THE SAID ARM BEING MOVABLE ALONG SAID HELIX TOWARDS SAID STOP MEANS ON ROTATION OF THE HELIX BY SAID DRIVE MEANS, THE SAID STOP MEANS LIMITING THE TRAVEL OF THE SAID ARM AND LOCKING THE SAID HELIX AGAINST FURTHER ROTATION WHEN THE SAID ARM MAKES CONTACT WITH SAID STOP MEANS, SPRING BIASED MEANS HOLDING THE SAID ARM IN CONTACT WITH THE SAID HELIX, MEANS TO RELEASE THE SAID ARM FROM SAID HELIX, AND A SECOND SPRING MEANS BIASED TO RETURN THE SAID ARM TO ITS INITIAL POSITION OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SAID HELIX REMOTE FROM SAID STOP MEANS WHEN THE SAID ARM IS RELEASED FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SAID HELIX AND STOP MEANS. 